Psychology Degree Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Psychology Degree facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which concept describes the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone? → Social loafing
2. During an action potential, what event occurs during the depolarization phase? → Sodium ions rush into the cell through voltage-gated channels
3. Which theoretical model of abnormal behavior emphasizes the role of classical and operant conditioning in the development of psychological disorders? → Behavioral model
4. Which defense mechanism involves unconsciously attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or impulses to other people? → Projection
5. A study component in which the subject receives the whole protocol outlining the experiment. → Experimental condition
6. Which endocrine gland is often called the 'master gland' because it regulates other glands in the body? → Pituitary gland
7. Which brain structure is most closely associated with processing fear responses and emotional memories? → Amygdala
8. What structure connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres, allowing communication between them? → Corpus callosum
9. Which sampling method gives every member of a population an equal chance of being selected for a study? → Simple random sampling
10. In Latané and Darley's research on bystander intervention, which factor most directly explains why individuals fail to act in large groups? → Diffusion of responsibility
11. According to the DSM-5, which specifier can be applied to Major Depressive Disorder when symptoms follow a seasonal pattern? → With seasonal pattern
12. According to expectancy-value theory, motivation is determined by: → The expectation of success and the value placed on the goal
13. What is the primary distinction between acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the DSM-5? → Duration of symptoms after the traumatic event
14. Which brain imaging technique measures changes in blood oxygenation to map neural activity in real time? → fMRI
15. A psychologist surveys 500 college students about their study habits and GPA. Which correlation coefficient indicates the strongest relationship? → r = -0.87
16. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs places which type of need at the highest level? → Self-actualization
17. Which disorder involves excessive anxiety and worry about being separated from major attachment figures, and is classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5? → Separation Anxiety Disorder
18. According to social identity theory, what is the primary motivation behind in-group favoritism? → Maintaining positive self-esteem through group membership
19. What is the primary purpose of using a double-blind research design in a clinical trial for a new medication? → To minimize the effects of both participant expectations and experimenter bias.
20. The Belmont Report established three core ethical principles for research with human subjects. Which of the following is NOT one of them? → Replicability
21. Which neurotransmitter is most directly associated with the regulation of mood and is the primary target of SSRI medications? → Serotonin
22. In cognitive psychology, what does the concept of 'chunking' primarily improve? → Short-term memory capacity
23. Which factor most strongly predicts whether someone will conform in Asch's line experiment paradigm? → Unanimity of the group
24. Which lobe of the cerebral cortex is primarily responsible for processing visual information? → Occipital lobe
25. A patient with damage to Wernicke's area would most likely exhibit which symptom? → Difficulty comprehending spoken language
26. What term describes the enhanced recall of items at the end of a list in a free recall task? → Recency effect
27. According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which need must be satisfied before an individual can pursue self-actualization? → Esteem needs
28. Which of the following scenarios is the best example of the endocrine system directly influencing behavior? → The release of adrenaline causing a 'fight-or-flight' response during a perceived threat.
29. Which neurodevelopmental disorder is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior? → Autism Spectrum Disorder
30. Which neurotransmitter hypothesis has been most closely associated with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia? → Dopamine hypothesis